Cassandra+Bleavins


 * SUMMARY: Cassandra Bleavins, age 20, died September 19, 1971 after an abortion performed at John Wesley Hospital in Los Angeles, CA.**

Cassandra Kay Bleavins, a 20-year-old clerk and Texas native, had a [|safe and legal abortion] performed on her at John Wesley Hospital, owned by Los Angeles County, on September 2, 1971. She bled heavily after the abortion, and a doctor tied off a portion of her cervix to control the bleeding. She was then sent home.

On September 15, Cassandra returned to the hospital, reporting heavy bleeding. She was given a follow-up D&C and again sent home. She returned again on September 17, still bleeding heavily, and went into convulsions during treatment. Cassandra slipped into a coma.

Staff transferred Cassandra to LA County/USC Medical Center on September 18. She died after midnight.

The coroner discovered a 1.25 inch sutured laceration in Cassandra's uterus, additional sutures to her uterine artery, and uterine hemorrhaging. The medical examiner concluded that Cassandra had [|bled to death] due to the lacerations and D&C.

According to the Social Security Death Index, Cassandra was living in California at the time she applied for a SS# in 1966. She'd been born in Texas on September 5, 1951.

As you can see from the graph below, abortion deaths were falling dramatically before legalization. This steep fall had been in place for decades. To argue that legalization lowered abortion mortality simply isn't supported by the data.



Source: LA County Coroner Case No. 71-10001



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